


Great-Uncle King Under the Mountain

by Nonia



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Durin Family, Family, Fluff, Gen, Great-uncle Thorin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 20:11:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/642530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonia/pseuds/Nonia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five little stories in the life of Great-uncle Thorin</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hide and Seek

**Author's Note:**

> In reponse to the Hobbit Kink-meme prompt: 
> 
> If Dwarves thought Thorin was protective and caring of his nephews, what they've seen is nothing compared to how he is with his Grand-nephews....
> 
> Obviously AU where everyone survives at the end long enough for Kili and Fili to have sons that are utterly spoiled by Great-Uncle Thorin and it's a brave brave Dwarf that tries to stop Thorin from doting on them.

_**Hide and Seek** _

The Mountain has been recovered. 

Erebor was once more the glorious kingdom it once was, ruled by its rightful King, Thorin II Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror. 

The battle had been hard fought, and hard won. Their losses had been great, their hearts heavy with those who have sacrificed themselves to reclaim their home. Recovery had been slow, but steady. 

And now, now the kingdom is reaching new heights under the rule of its King, his heirs; nephews, stand at their rightful places to his right. His advisors and officers stand at theirs to his left. 

Representatives from all over Middle-Earth had been sent to acknowledge and welcome the King, and his renown was such that Dwarves from all the lands would look to him for guidance. 

At the moment, court was in session. Thorin Oakenshield sat at his throne, regal and imposing, tall for a Dwarf, the Arkenstone gleaming above his head, jewels that have been braided into his hair reflecting its light. His nephews stood to his right, majestic and tall. Fili, steady and wise; Kili, brave and quick. 

They were listening intently to the two Dwarves in front of the king. Pleading their cases, a feud between two influential Dwarf clans that none but the King might judge. 

Thorin Oakenshield was a mighty king, just and unbending, he gave this matter his full attention; it would not do to have two of his biggest clans feuding. 

The Dwarf, Bolum, was in the middle of an impassioned speech when the mighty Thorin Oakenshield felt a barely there nudge to his foot and a tiny voice piped up. “Great-uncle! Move! I can’t fit!”

Bolum paused in his speech and Thorin II Oakenshield leant over to glance down. There, unheeding of court, was Thorin IV, son of Fili, tugging at the King’s booted foot trying to fit between it and the throne behind. “Great-Uncle! I’m hiding! But I can’t hide if I don’t fit!” cried the young dwarf still tugging. 

Fili’s eyes widened and he took a step forward to grab his wayward son only to be held back by a gesture from his King. “And who are we hiding from?” he asked bemusedly. Young Thorin glanced up and said, “Fili!” 

“Ah.” said the King as if that explained all and obligingly moved his foot forward allowing his grand-nephew to hide behind it, even going so far as to move his cloak to better hide the young one. Fili gave a resigned sigh and Kili tried to spot whether his own troublemaker, Fili II, was around to cause mischief since the cousins were never far from each other. 

Thorin Oakenshield; however, was done rearranging his cloak, and straightened up once more to face the Dwarves in front of him, who were too shocked to react. “Now, where were we?”


	2. Bedtime

_**Bedtime** _

“Thorin, you spoil them too much.” Fili said for what felt like the millionth time in his life as he filled his pipe. His uncle, brother, and himself had retired to the family’s common room. Fili II and Thorin IV were wrestling under the table while Kili tended to the fire. 

Thorin raised an eyebrow and didn’t deign to answer, his attention on the boys wrestling, every so often giving them hints and pointers on how to better best the other. 

Kili wryly glanced at Fili, with whom he shared a long suffering look. It was past bedtime for the boys, neither Kili nor Fili succeeding in getting either boy to bed as Great-uncle declared that one more hour of play would not harm the boys. 

Kili clapped Fili on the shoulder and said, “I say we let Great-uncle Thorin tuck the boys in tonight. Let him deal with over-tired boys.” It was a nightmare getting the boys to bed, the nightly ritual usually consisting of many a tear and tantrum as the boys were cleaned and changed and tucked in, the only thing calming them is their Great-uncle Thorin who would show up after all the agony was done to tell stories. 

Fili grinned and challenged, “I don’t think Great-uncle Thorin is up to the task.”

Thorin ignored the pair as he puffed on his pipe one last time, took his time emptying and putting away his pipe before straightening up and saying, “Boys, to the bathing chamber.”

Kili’s grin fell as the boys ran to the bathing chamber without so much as a protesting look. Thorin following at a sedate pace as he took off his over-tunic and rolled up his sleeves. 

Fili muttered under his breath and took a frustrated puff of his pipe as Great-uncle Thorin proceeded to clean the boys, with much laughter instead of tears, get them into their night clothes and tuck them in. 

An hour later found Fili cleaning his pipe in aggravation as Thorin stepped back out into the common room after having finished story time, a smirk on his face. 

Kili gave his uncle a look before grudgingly muttering, “It’s because you spoil them too much.”


	3. Training

_**Training** _

Kili was standing at one of the balconies overlooking the outside of the mine. Eyes fixed skyward in a long suffering look as doors were slammed in an aggravated manner in the wake of his argument with his wife, the mother of his child, his beautifully bearded partner. 

Fili came up next to him and put his hand on Kili’s shoulder and he said, “You too?”

The younger gave a barest of nods. Afraid to move or speak lest he burst. 

Fili gave his brother’s shoulder a squeeze in commiseration. His own wife was less of a door slamming lass and more of the terrifyingly silent with disapproving looks type of lass.   
“I’d like to see her try to tell Thorin he is not allowed to give the boy a toy weapon to train with.”Kili finally grumbled. Fili snorted and said, “Mine actually tried to.”

Eyes widened Kili’s head whipped around to stare at his brother, “Aye? And?!”

Shoulders slumping, Fili muttered, “He pulled the ‘I am King Under the Mountain.’ line on her.” Causing Kili to winced, Thorin did not pull that line on family unless he was angry.

“Did they choose their weapons?” he finally asked. Fili nodded, expression lifting slightly, “Wee Thorin wants to use a bow like his uncle,” that got a grin from Kili which quickly fell as Fili continued, “Wee Fili said Da’s bow was boring, and so he picked a hammer. Like Mister Dwalin.”

Shaking his head, Kili patted his brother’s hand on his shoulder and said, “Might as well go and join the lads then. Can’t let them have all the fun.”

Fili laughed and agreed and both brothers headed outside to the training grounds, nodding to guards along the way as they followed the noise of their boys playing with their Great-uncle.


	4. The Littlest Guard

_**The Littlest Guard** _

Thorin II Oakenshield held his shoulders straight and high as he took a tour of the guards. Dwalin and Kili in his wake. Guards standing to attention as their King passed.   
He did this constantly. He would never let his guard down, never allow Erebor to fall again. It was his one obsession and one priority above his Grand-nephews. The guard must never be less than perfect. 

Dwalin was explaining the changes in rotation he and Kili had implemented as they moved from the outside guard to the inside guard. 

Thorin II Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, nodded every once in a while with a comment as he tried to look each of his soldiers in the eye to show that he appreciated their service. Knew what they meant to his Kingdom, to his people. 

Their tour would end with the guards standing on either side of the hall leading to the Throne Bridge where Thorin would be spending the rest of his day listening to petitions. The King nodded to each and every one of those guards, the last stand before an enemy might reach the King Under the Mountain. He fervently hoped they would never have their role tested in the mines. 

Thorin was not so lost in his thoughts; however, to not notice a gap in his guards. Gaze falling on the empty space between two strong shoulders, he allowed his eyes to drop to a small figure standing between the guards. 

Kili’s exasperated, “Fili!”as he reached out to cuff the boy on the ear for disrupting the guard, was as usual stayed by his uncle who straightened up to his full height, looking down on the tiny dwarf, his hammer that looks like Mister Dwalin’s only smaller, clutched in his hands and an oversized helmet almost swallowing shoulders that were fairly vibrating at the excitement of pulling off this latest mischief and the effort not to dissolve into giggles. “What’s this?” said the Mighty King Under the Mountain. “I do not recall having miniature guards in my army.”

That did earn a small giggle that caused helmet and hammer and all to wobble, the dwarfling almost toppling backward if not for the guard on his left surreptitiously putting a hand behind the small back to stop the fall, all the while never breaking his stance. “What is this, Dwalin?” Thorin continued, knowing without even needing to glance behind him that Dwalin would be holding a smirk while Kili would be intently staring at the ceiling in exasperation. “A miniature guard to protect my boots?”

“Aye,” Dwalin said much to the delight of Fili II who tried to push the helmet back and not lose his grip on his hammer, “It’s me! It’s Fili!”

Thorin knelt and took the helmet off as he said, “So it is. Why are you here bothering my most trusted guards?”

Fili bounced in place and declared, “I’m not bothering, I’m guarding! I’m a warrior! Like Mister Dwalin, and Da, and Uncle and you!” 

That earned a chuckle from most of the guards and Thorin clapped his hands on small shoulders as he declared, “If that is the case, then I know a better spot for my bravest guard.” 

And so, all who came to petition Thorin II Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, on that day tried very very hard to ignore the miniature guard standing by the throne by Thorin Oakenshield’s right knee; hammer that looks like Mister Dwalin’s only smaller, oversized helmet and all.


	5. They are Precious to me

_**They are Precious to me** _

Thorin ran through his halls, demeanour of a king be damned. He burst into the healing chambers in time to hear Fili’s agony filled yell as he was moved and to see Kili’s head loll back as his unconscious form was lifted from the litter that had carried him home from the borders. 

“What has happened? What has happened to my nephews?!” he demanded as he shoved his way to stand in the middle of the room. Kili’s end of the room disturbingly quiet as the Dwarf lay unconscious while the healers tended to him and Fili’s disturbingly loud as the Dwarf gave another agony filled yell when his broken ribs were jarred. 

Opting to go to the one awake first, Thorin elbowed his way to Fili’s side. They had been on a routine scouting mission around the borders. Thorin gripped Fili’s hand and put a palm on his forehead to steady him, “Calm down lad, the more you thrash the more you hurt and the healers cannot tend to you.”

Feeling the familiar grip and hearing that voice steadied Fili who grit his teeth and managed to gasp out, “Warg ambush. Straggler pack with no masters. They came too close to the borders looking for easy prey.” Thorin nodded as Fili gave a fierce grin, “They’re all gone now.”

“Good lad,” Thorin praised glancing at the healer who was poised by Fili’s other side, gesturing to the obviously dislocated shoulder. He gave the healer a subtle nod and gestured for him to move at the count of three. Thorin braced himself and lent over Fili, firming his grip on his nephew. “Deep breath, laddie.” He said. Taking advantage of Fili’s confusion at the sudden request the healer wrenched the shoulder in place earning another agonised cry from Fili. Thorin soothed his nephew as best he could until the pain became to great and the Dwarf succumbed to unconsciousness. 

Only then did he turn to the head healer with a questioning look. The healer reassured him that both would be fine, sore, and tired, and unable to be active for a while, but fine. The most worrying thing being that Kili had yet to wake from his head wound. Thorin stonily nodded before ordering the boys to be settled in his own chambers after the healers were done with them. The healer, familiar with the King’s tendencies to be grizzly when the safely of his family was at stake simply bowed his in acknowledgement. 

Thorin sent Balin to give his excuses to the visiting delegation, and the rest of the petitioners. He refused to continue with the petitions until he saw for himself that the boys, they will always be his boys, are all right. 

He went ahead to his chambers, making sure that Kili’s pillows were brought in from his own chambers; the boy was the fussiest person in existence when it came to pillows. He personally tended to the fire and made sure the wine was warm and the water cool for them. By the time he was done fussing the boys were brought in and placed on either side of the King’s impressively large bed. As Kili was settled on the pillows by the healer he asked, “Has he woken, yet?” brows coming together in worry as he was told he had not. 

Thorin settled on a chair by the fire, facing the bed, awaiting for signs of awakening from either boy. Balin and Dwalin coming in periodically to sit with him. The boys’ wives were part of the group of Dwarves visiting the Blue Mountains. Fili awoke briefly during Dwalin’s visit to sip some water and shortly thereafter while Balin was visiting, Kili finally woke up, full of pain and confusion. 

Thorin spent a good deal of time leaning over his nephew, one hand on his hair, the other gently resting above his heart until Kili settled down long enough to rest. Fussing over the blankets Thorin told Balin to remove the boys from all rosters until Thorin deemed them recovered for their duties. 

The wise old Dwarf laughed, knowing many a battle would be fought by the time Thorin would allow his nephews out of the bed, let alone back to their duties. Balin stayed a while and the hour was very late when they heard small voices arguing behind the doors. 

Balin gave an indulging smile as Thorin patiently waited until they spotted the pair trying to peak from behind the doors. It was Balin who laughingly said, “It’s past wee little Dwarves’ bedtime. What’re you two doing up?”

Thorin IV’s gaze was fixed upon the bed containing the two injured Dwarves while Fili II’s eyes looked on the verge of tears. “We heard Da and Uncle were hurt...”

Thorin gestured for the boys to come in. Both running to their Great-uncle, vibrating with worry. Thorin stood up and walked over to the bed, “Fili and Kili fought bravely today. Like you will one day. Their injuries have been tended to, and they will become better and play with you before you know it.”

Allowing his Grand-nephews to spend the night on his couch, and checking that neither Fili nor Kili were uncomfortable Thorin finally rejoined Balin by the hearth, he was given an amused look as Balin spoke, “You spoil them.”

The King Under the Mountain let his gaze fall onto his grand-nephews and said, “They are precious to me.” 

Balin nudged Thorin’s arm with his own as he said, “Do not play dumb with me, laddie. You know I don’t speak of the little ones.”

Thorin II Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, allowed himself a small smile as his gaze fell onto his grown nephews and softly said, “They are precious to me as well.”


End file.
